Al'Kabor was furious. He had
lost nearly a week of hard
work, lost research
components that were
expensive and difficult to
find, had one of his favorite
robes ruined and was
assaulted by a gang of small
upstart earth elementals. His
day was not going well and
was about to get worse.
| He took a walk to the hills
outside of the city of Qeynos
as the elemental attack raged
on and minor aftershocks from
the huge quake rattled the
lands. He annihilated any of
the earthen beasts he came
across. He did this not in
defense of the hills nor for
any sort of loyalty to Qeynos
but more in retaliation for
his days of lost work and as
|
|
therapy for the general
feeling of rage and
displeasure he was
experiencing that day.
In the distance he heard
people calling out his name.
"Good, perhaps now I will
have some answers," he
thought to himself. Walking
back toward the city he saw
a crowd of people running
| quickly toward him.
"Al'Kabor! There are two
gnomes and a barbarian
woman that are looking
for you. They said it is
very important," they
told him.
Al'Kabor muttered, "Them.
It figures." Then loudly he
said, "Very well. Take me to
|
|
them," he made a shooing
gesture with his hands, as if
to push the commoners along.
He followed the crowd back
to the gates of Qeynos. There
he saw the barbarian warrior,
Dagda Icefury. With her were
the gnomes, Ognit Eznertob
and Dabner Drednever. Upon
laying eyes upon the wizard,
they ran right up to him.
| Their voices were panicked
and they were all talking at
the same time. It was
impossible to tell who was
saying what and why they
were so upset.
"Al'Kabor!"
"We have terrible news!"
"Odus is in danger!"
|
|
"There was this wall and
things from the ground and.."
"Something went wrong!"
"I didn't mean to do it!"
"They were everywhere! It
was terrible and.."
Al'Kabor said, "One at a
| time please." He waited and
still their frantic raving
continued. Finally he
screamed as loudly as he
possibly could, "Quit talking
all at once!!!"
The three stopped suddenly.
The wizard Ognit spoke.
"I'll tell him. This was all
my fault anyway."
|
|
Rolling his eyes Al'Kabor
said, "Speak then, gnome."
Ognit began, "Well, we were
all down in the ruins of Old
Paineel. In the Hole. And you
remember that Wall of Living
Flesh that is way down there?
Looks like a big face, you
know?"
Al'Kabor balled his fists at
| his side. "Fool. Tell me that
you were not meddling with
The Wall!"
Ognit smiled sheepishly and
continued, "Well yes.
Actually I was to tell you
the truth. I came across some
writings that told of how
your ancestors were trying to
find a way to harness the
power of that artifact and I
|
|
thought that I would try to
continue that research."
Al'Kabor spat, "Ingrate! My
ancestors were not Heretics!
I've slew hundreds of those
fools during the Great War so
many years ago!" He glared
at Ognit, his eyes flashing
with a hideous fury, "You are
no better then they it
seems!"
|
Al'Kabor's hands began
glowing with a deep red color
and the sudden updraft of
wind that swirled around them
revealed the immensity of the
power the wizard had at his
disposal. The hairs on the
back of Ognit's neck stood
on end as the energy began
to course and build around
him. Ognit winced, expecting
|
|
to be blasted to bits.
| |
